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Multiple-Meaning Words

A multiple-meaning word is spelled and said the same way but means different things: a bat flies at night, and you hit a ball with a bat. Context is the only clue, which is why these words are such good reading practice.

Here are 124 multiple-meaning words from past ClueBy puzzles, each with a real example sentence for every meaning. Use them as a reference, or make a printable worksheet below.

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Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

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Word bank
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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: mate · scale · spell · band · board · lean · temple · craft

  1. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  2. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  3. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  4. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  5. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  6. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  7. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  8. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  9. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  10. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  11. When was this ________________ built?
  12. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  13. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  14. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  15. Have you found your soul ________________?
  16. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  17. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  18. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  19. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  20. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  21. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  22. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  23. How do you ________________ your surname?
  24. He is as ________________ as a wolf.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com

Answer key

  1. craft — a handicraft
  2. lean — to bend
  3. scale — in music
  4. scale — size or range
  5. board — to get on
  6. board — a committee
  7. band — a ring
  8. craft — a skill
  9. temple — a place of worship
  10. mate — a friend
  11. temple — a place of worship
  12. spell — magic
  13. craft — boats
  14. scale — for weighing
  15. mate — a partner
  16. band — a music group
  17. temple — side of the head
  18. mate — to breed
  19. board — a flat piece
  20. lean — to rest against
  21. spell — a short time
  22. band — a rubber band
  23. spell — letters
  24. lean — thin

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

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Frequently asked questions

What are multiple-meaning words?

Words with the same spelling and pronunciation but more than one meaning, like bark (of a dog or of a tree) or bank (for money or of a river). You can only tell which meaning is meant from the rest of the sentence.

Are multiple-meaning words the same as homonyms?

Mostly, yes. Teachers often use "multiple-meaning words" and "homonyms" for the same idea. Homophones are different: they sound alike but are spelled differently, like flour and flower.

Are the worksheets free?

Yes. Make and print as many as you like for home or classroom use. Each sheet has its own link, so you can print the same one again.

Where do the words come from?

From past ClueBy puzzles, a daily game where you sort twelve sentences by their missing word. A new puzzle every day adds four more words to this list.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com